Streamlining School Communications: Enhancing Parent Engagement

Effective communication between schools and families has never been more critical or challenging. Despite technology, a persistent communication gap frustrates educational institutions and the communities they serve.  

Juggling endless emails, deciphering cryptic newsletters, and chasing down crucial school updates can feel like a full-time job for parents. And for schools? It is a constant battle to ensure vital information reaches families amidst the digital noise. This disconnection is not just an administrative inconvenience - it impacts student outcomes, parent satisfaction, and overall school effectiveness. However, what if there were a way to cut through the chaos, empower parents, and reclaim valuable time for teachers?  

The answer lies in embracing technology designed to bridge the divide between school and home. Modern school management systems and dedicated parent apps aren't just about sending more messages but about fostering meaningful connections and building stronger school-family partnerships. Let's explore how these innovative tools are revolutionising school communication and how your school can harness their power.  

The Communication Challenge in Modern Schools  

Challenges School Staff Face  

The communication burden on today's educators is immense and growing:  

• Administrative overload - Educators are often swamped with administrative tasks, taking away valuable teaching time. This burden directly impacts teaching quality and contributes to stress and burnout. A study by Engage Education reveals that administrative overload in schools, its impact on educators, and related issues such as stress, burnout, and reduced classroom time significantly impact the quality of teaching.  

• Communication struggles—In 2022, most teachers (88%) reported spending 0-4 hours a week engaging with parents, while 9% spent 5-9 hours. School leaders reported even more time, with 59% spending over 5 hours per week on parental engagement (AITSL, 2023). A 2023 nationwide principal survey revealed that school leaders cite "parent-related issues" as a significant source of stress (Dicke et al., 2023).  

• Unsustainable Workloads - The sheer volume of communication, often outside of regular hours, adds to already demanding workloads, pushing educators to their limits. The Australian Education Union's 2021 "State of Our School Survey" of over 10,000 respondents found teachers averaging 15 hours a week of unpaid work. One teacher noted, "If I were to do this job properly... I could be working the hours of two jobs" (The Saturday Paper, 2025).  
  
  

The Parent Experience  

 From a parent's perspective, school communications can feel overwhelming, and they might not receive the details that truly matter. Parents often receive too many messages, leading to confusion and an overload from the sheer volume of school communication. An article by the Daily Telegraph highlights the frustration of managing multiple platforms and the repetitive nature of information, underscoring the need for simpler, unified communication methods.   

Parents experience communication friction when important announcements get buried among routine updates, diverse accessibility needs are unmet, and generic messaging fails to address individual family circumstances.  

Benefits of Keeping the Parent Community Engaged  

Research consistently demonstrates that parent engagement is one of the strongest predictors of student success, with benefits extending far beyond academics.    

• Stronger bonds: Research by AITSL emphasises the importance of tailored communication strategies to foster positive parent-school relationships. Personalised communications can significantly enhance engagement, such as individualised messages and resources for parent-child learning conversations.    

• Academic achievement: Parental engagement and active participation in their child's education lead to greater academic achievement and enable teachers to engage better with their students.   

"Students with engaged parents – no matter their income or background– are more likely to do well at school, graduate from school and go on to higher education."     

"Decades of research have shown that when parents engage in their child's learning, both at home and at school, student achievement and wellbeing are increased (Hattie, 2023; Kim, 2022; Sengonul, 2022; T. E. Smith et al., 2020)."  

- AITSL

Building Stronger Connections with the Parent Community  

We all know good communication matters, but how do you make it work when you're juggling everything else? Here are some practical ways to connect better with the parents and carers in your school community.  

Getting the basics right    

Start each term by introducing yourself to families and letting them know the best ways to reach you. Some parents prefer emails, others like using the school app – find out what works for each family and try to meet them where they are.  

Keep everyone in the loop 

Parents want to know what's happening with their kids. Regular updates about progress, upcoming events, celebrations, and when you need their help at home go a long way. You don't need to overcommunicate, but consistency helps build trust.  

 Building genuine relationships  

Respect is everything when working with families. Take time to understand different cultural backgrounds, family structures, and circumstances. Some parents might need information presented differently, especially if English isn't their first language. Adjusting your tone and approach shows you care about reaching everyone effectively.  

Collaborating with parents

The best outcomes happen when parents feel like genuine collaborators, not just recipients of information. Invite them into decision-making where appropriate, create safe spaces for concerns and questions, and give them tools to better support their child's learning journey.  

Making technology work for you  

Digital tools can be game-changers when used thoughtfully. School apps and parent portals are great for sharing information, while emails work well for more detailed updates. Text messages are perfect for quick reminders, and push notifications help ensure important information doesn't get missed.  

Creating real opportunities to connect  

Parent-teacher interviews remain one of the most valuable touchpoints for discussing each child's progress and planning support strategies. Beyond formal meetings, inviting families to volunteer at school events, carnivals, and fundraisers helps build community connections that benefit everyone.  

These strategies aren't exhaustive, but implementing even a few can help create stronger partnerships with families, foster a more inclusive school environment, and support better student outcomes.  

How a School Management System and School App Can Help  

Effective communication really comes down to having everything in one place. When schools use a single, unified platform, it creates a single source of truth where everyone can find what they need without going through multiple channels.  

Modern school management systems paired with integrated parent apps, like TASS and Parent Orbit, transform how schools connect with families. These platforms combine all communication tools into one streamlined system.  

These systems make daily workflows smoother for educators and administrators. Features like Student Profiles and Pastoral Care give staff a complete picture of each student's academic performance and well-being.   

The email functionality in TASS lets you send targeted messages to specific groups that are relevant to them.  

The push notification system takes this targeted communication even further. Instead of generic announcements going to everyone, parents receive timely alerts about things that specifically affect their child, whether it's a change to their swimming lesson, a reminder about their drama performance, or updates about their activities.  

Parents can have access to their child's information whenever it suits them. Through personalised dashboards, they can check the eDiary at breakfast, browse through extracurricular options during lunch breaks, or review report cards after the kids are in bed. This self-service approach means they're not waiting for information or trying to catch teachers at busy times.  

This level of transparency completely transforms parent-teacher conversations. Instead of spending valuable meeting time on basic updates, discussions can focus on strategic planning and collaborative problem-solving that genuinely supports student success.  

Digital solutions like school management systems and parent engagement apps don't replace human relationships - they enable them. When communication is clear, consistent, and collaborative, everyone wins: students thrive, parents feel empowered, and teachers can spend more time doing what they do best.  

Ready to transform your school's communication and elevate parent engagement? Discover how modern school management systems and parent apps can revolutionise your school-home connections while reclaiming valuable administrative time.